Making phosphoric paint at home

Types and areas of application of fluorescent paints

Acrylic-based luminous paints

One of the most popular materials for creating fluorescent designs are water-acrylic dispersions. Such compositions in their properties resemble watercolor and allow you to work with paper, cardboard, leather or wood. Acrylic dries quickly and is very economical. The paints are absolutely harmless and odorless, which allows their use even by children. A well-known company that produces paints for creativity is Decola.

Fluorescent polyurethane enamel

In addition to acrylic paints, there are polyurethane-based fluorescent enamels. They are widely used in interior and exterior decoration, as well as for road marking and car painting. Due to the increased strength compared to acrylic compounds, polyurethane paints can be applied to surfaces with a high level of use (floors, roads).

Fluorescent ink

This type of material is widely used in interior printing for the decoration of apartments, offices, restaurants, nightclubs, children's centers, cinemas and other public places. They are popular in outdoor advertising and to protect documents from counterfeiting. There are fluorescent inks for inkjet, laser and large format printers. This means that almost anything can be printed with them. Well-known firms - MuchColours, Manoukian,

Fluorescent body paint

Body art using glowing paints is especially popular for young people with an active nightlife. Body paints create an unusual effect, especially noticeable in the twilight of nightclubs - bright fluorescent colors allow you to stand out from the crowd and draw attention to yourself. One of the popular manufacturers, Manic Panic, even produces a fluorescent hair gel that looks especially impressive on light hair.

Of course, all formulations are harmless and do not pose a danger to the human body.

One of the popular manufacturers, Manic Panic, even produces a fluorescent hair gel that looks especially impressive on light hair. Of course, all formulations are harmless and do not pose a danger to the human body.

Alkyd fluorescent paint in spray cans.

The advantages of this paint lie in its versatility. It can be applied to any surface (concrete, metal, wood, plastic, cardboard). Fluorescent spray paint is ideal for painting large surfaces and creating unusual graffiti designs that glow in the dark. It creates a beautiful and long-lasting finish that is virtually immune to moisture and light.

Fluorescent powder

The advantage of the powder is its use with various paints and varnishes, including enamels with increased performance characteristics. So, it is possible to create a luminous car enamel for bodywork, or a composition for applying road markings and coloring road signs.

Views

Since there is no official classification, the type of paint can be determined not only by the active pigment, but also by the surface on which it is applied. Different formulations can be used for the same surface.

Phosphoric paint is suitable for coating various materials. It can be used to apply drawings to metals, fabrics, glass, wood, concrete, plastic. It quickly accumulates light energy, and then releases it over long hours, providing a beautiful phosphorescent glow.

Because prolonged exposure to phosphorus can cause nausea and more severe poisoning, modern paints replace phosphorus with a phosphor that acts in a similar way.

The phosphor is a phosphorescent powder, therefore the paint with it is called phosphorescent.

Also, paints in which the pigment can accumulate both sunlight and electric light, and then give it away, are called luminescent. The night color may differ from the color that the paint has during the day.

The undoubted advantage of luminescent paints is their harmlessness. And since they are made on the basis of varnish, they have another remarkable property: by creating a film on the painted surface, they protect the object from moisture and other adverse environmental influences.

For some people, floristic glowing paints are of particular interest. They are designed to create a glowing effect on vibrant colors.

It can be used to process any parts of plants: petals, leaves, buds. And for cut flowers, it will even prolong the life.

You can apply it in any way. In the daytime, it will look like a light white bloom. Any light source will "charge" it.

A slightly different look is fluorescent paints. They can be of any color and look like ordinary paint. They do not differ from conventional coatings either day or night. A source of ultraviolet light is required for their glow. They can be used on wood, concrete, paper, metal or plastic. In order for their effect to manifest itself, one layer is quite enough.

The base for fluorescent compositions can be of any color, they can even be applied to other designs made by conventional means. Fluorescent paints are not harmful to health, so they can be used in homes and places where there are large numbers of people.

Some modern manufacturers are mastering the release of compositions in which the glow effect appears as a luminescent with a gradual attenuation and as a permanent one when irradiated with ultraviolet light.

Manufacturers produce phosphorescent paints in different containers: in cans and cans.

Spray paint is more popular due to the following properties:

• it is easy to use;
• this is a ready-made composition; solvents and other substances do not need to be added to it;
• it can quickly paint a large surface;
• it dries quickly.

Separation of decorative elements and creation of an ensemble

Dyes with a phosphor will be useful when restoring furniture and decorating some interior elements. For example, you can paint the entire chandelier or some of its elements, use a transparent base, improve the design or add to it.

Since there are foundations that adhere perfectly to the fabric and do not conflict with the phosphor, they can be used to decorate curtains, upholstery, bedside rugs. Vases and clocks will turn into magical objects and become a bright element of the room. Artificial flowers, vines, entwining a column or located along a fillet, will look great, will give a positive impression if they are varnished with a phosphor.

Overfatigue of receptors can manifest itself in the form of growing anxiety, irritation, but we wanted to achieve the opposite effect - to get rid of negative emotions. The luminescent dye can be removed with a solvent corresponding to the base - this is not a problem

It is important to remember this and boldly conduct experiments. The risk of spoiling the selected items is minimized

Basic tips for applying glowing paints

When working with luminous paints, you should adhere to some recommendations:

1. Phosphorus is hazardous to health, so the room in which phosphorus painting takes place must be well ventilated.
2. If vapors enter the respiratory tract, consult a doctor.
3. It is necessary to observe safety measures and work only in gloves, goggles and a respirator.
4. In order for the enamel layer to lie evenly, the surface on which it is applied must be smooth and dry.
5. Sometimes a deposit of phosphor appears at the bottom of the paint can, therefore, when starting work, the paint is thoroughly mixed.
6. After applying the first coat to the surface, wait 1.5 hours and only then apply the second coat of paint.
7. A pre-applied white primer will help to give the product a brighter glow, since the dark surface will absorb the emitted energy.

Properties

Fluorescent paints are endowed with special properties - luminescence. This is the effect of a special glow at night. During the day, the surface painted with this paint accumulates light energy, and at night it gives it away. The painted surface is capable of shimmering in various shades and glowing in the dark for up to twelve hours.

Everything around glows under ultraviolet light. To recharge the glow for the whole night, 15 minutes of daylight is enough for her.

In addition, the pigment that is part of the paintwork product has another unique property - it gives the painted surface or pattern an acidic color saturation. The range of colors is wide - from raspberry to lemon shades.

The unique properties of fluorescent dyes include:

• Reflective effect that can reach 150-300%. To understand the uniqueness, you should compare this effect with ordinary paint, in which it barely reaches 85%.
• Complete safety in use, since there are no harmful components in the composition.
• The glow in the dark effect can last long enough.

Is it possible to make a glowing paint at home without a phosphor?

To prepare such a composition at home, it is not necessary to use a luminescent powder. For its preparation, you can use the ingredients at hand. There are several ways to make homemade glow-in-the-dark coloring products. A detailed description of how and from what ingredients to make it:

The proportions of ingredients listed in the table allow you to create a paint with a delicate glow. To create a color with an intense shine, you need to double the number of components.

In the process of work, it is recommended to follow 3 basic rules:

• work with rubber gloves so as not to get your hands dirty;
• when using harsh-smelling substances, wear a respirator and goggles when preparing paint in a well-ventilated area;
• work in old clothes that can be thrown away in case they get dirty.

I hope the presented material is enough to prepare glowing paint for your own purposes. The next video will complement the above.

Advantages

The paint has a number of advantages: it is durable, easy to maintain and easy to apply, and the effect is stunning. This is a great alternative to night lights. It is economical: the paint gains energy from daylight, and at night gives it back and thus glows.

It is especially popular when used in children's rooms, because this way you can create coziness, a sense of comfort and safety. Children, as a rule, are afraid of the dark, and with beautiful luminous patterns it is easier for them to fall asleep, they feel calm.

Considering various drawings, the child calms down and falls asleep faster, which has a great effect on his imagination and the development of creative abilities.

This paint is popular not only in construction, but also in various types of creativity - whether it is creating face painting or decorating various objects.

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Scope of luminous paints

There are many creative industries where glowing materials are used. Let's take a look at a few of them.

1. Machine numbers. In order to embellish your car, you can use this material. The process of applying to the surface is very fast. The finished coating will glow for two hours after the end of the work. There are no guarantees for the operation of the material, since it cannot physically deteriorate. In daylight, the license plates will be of normal color, but only when entering a dark room will they acquire a beautiful green-blue color. The content of the number (numbers, letters) stands out well.
2. Machine disks. This is the second way to make your car special. The work of covering the caps consists of a couple of stages. First of all, the surface is cleaned of dirt or dust, covered with a primer, glowing paint is applied to the dried soil. To protect the surface, you need to open it with a special varnish. After the end of the work, a day must pass to obtain the result.
3. Glass decor. One of the most popular uses is the use of paint for glass, porcelain, and ceramics. Specifically, it can be vases, glasses, wine glasses or ashtrays. Such items will be a great gift or an unusual interior for a nightclub.
4. Glowing paint for flowers, plants. Luminescent paint is a safe material for both people and the environment. To surprise a girl or woman, cut flowers lend themselves to coating. During the day they will look like ordinary ones, and at night they will pleasantly surprise you with their unusual color.
5. Used in factories for textiles or fabrics, silk-screen printing.
6. Design of a room, building, room. An old building or room can be transformed in an unusual way. It can be applied on ceramic tiles, wallpaper, painted walls with ordinary paint, plastic or wooden skirting boards. For example, you can paint a starry sky on the ceiling, or Christmas trees on the walls before the New Year. Popular are art murals, LED materials, watches, leather belts.
7. You can complete a drawing (shapes, flowers) or just a contour through a stencil.
8. They are also used for safety signs, clothing, decorative stones, children's souvenirs, nail polish, paintings, business cards, body art, tattoos. They can be used to draw stained glass drawings on paper or style. Used for makeup.

Glow in the dark paint

Fluorescent paint

Many can answer the question of what kind of paints they are. Indeed, fluorescent paints belong to decorative paints and varnishes, which have a peculiar reaction to the effect of light flux. Products coated with such a composition are visible in any light. Moreover, at night they are much brighter than in the daytime.Professionals emphasize that the glow is almost twice as intense.

The high demand for similar materials was naturally due to the unusual effect and therefore the paints were quickly noticed.

Fluorescent glowing paint

The variety of paints offered has a wide range. You can choose from white, brown, red, blue, yellow, green paints. Interestingly, they are visible and invisible. Invisible paint has a peculiarity - it is almost impossible to see it in the daytime. It will manifest itself only when exposed to ultraviolet rays.

Visible paint is easy to distinguish, however, when exposed to sunlight, the glow intensifies.

The predominantly common fluorescent dye composition can be called acrylic, the base of which is water. The composition includes a dye, a binding element (acrylic polymer emulsion) and water prepared in a special way. Those who have used this composition note the uniqueness of the product.

The advantages of the material include:

• Versatility - can be used both indoors and outdoors.
• Ease of use - when performing work, a spray gun, brush, paint sprayer or roller is enough.
• Saturation of the painted surface - you can additionally protect from adverse weather conditions with a polyurethane-based varnish.
• It fits well and economically on the surface.
• Dries quickly enough.
• Impeccable consumer properties - do not tarnish, the color does not lose color under the influence of sunlight.
• Do not harm human health.
• Diverse area of ​​application - you can paint a paper base, natural flowers and wood, concrete and stone surfaces, plastic and metal.

The use of dyes with a fluorescent special effect is quite wide.

The unusual property of the material can be successfully used as:

• Marking - designation of signal lanes and signs on transport.
• Painting of various objects - equipment, road signs, beacons.
• Marking of fragments of the pipeline, machine tool, inventory with hazardous areas.

Luminous paint properties

The constituent elements of the paint are completely harmless, but you need to purchase components for its preparation with your own hands at home from manufacturers who have a quality certificate.

Luminous paint is formed from two main components: varnish and phosphor pigment. The properties of the phosphor predetermine the peculiarity of the emission of light. This mixture contains oxides and lanthanides, which act as activators.

The phosphor can accumulate light, and then gives off this energy in the form of a glow. It can extract a charge resource from any solar or ultraviolet base. Drawings with paints that glow in the dark?

15 minutes in daylight or artificial light is enough and this reserve is enough for the relentless glow of a painted object for 7 hours.

The most amazing thing is that this process predominates in a non-stop cycle and can work in this mode for about 30 years.

Among other things, the luminous element perfectly adapts to the outside environment, it tolerates frosty weather well, therefore it can be used both indoors and outdoors.

Among the shades of luminescent paints, yellow and blue prevail. Paints that glow in the dark without ultraviolet radiation,? But with certain manipulations, you can get other colors. The brightest shine is a light green-yellow powder, which in the daytime looks like a light green.

Some designers use this material for the original interior in the room where there is a tile. They are made from improvised means and used as a grout for joints, which not only glows in a dark room, but also protects against moisture.

Glowing neon paint for metal looks great on car rims, is also used in airbrushing and in the design of the front entrances of buildings or on metal signs.

With the help of this unusual material, you can create exotic effects on any texture, be it stone, concrete floors, plastic windows or other surfaces. The main thing is that the plane is clean and dry. Before application, degrease it, remove dust and dirt from the surface.

With this extraordinary paint, you can do extraordinary things in phytodesign. Since the colorful material dries quickly, it can be safely applied to fresh flowers, indoor plants or to the branches of any tree. Manufacturers guarantee safety, therefore, coloring is harmless to plants.

Glass surfaces that are treated with a luminescent color gleam especially intensely in the dark. This approach is used in the manufacture of display cases. You can also paint small glass items such as a countertop, cabinet shelf, lampshade, or vase.

Self-made luminous dye

You can make glowing paint yourself at home. For this purpose, you must first purchase a phosphor, a special solvent and a transparent varnish mixture. You will also need a glass or ceramic container to dilute the components.

The phosphor can be purchased online or at a home improvement store. This is a rather expensive material, but 100 grams of powder composition is enough for about 8 square meters of surface. The cost is in direct proportion to the shade of the glow: the cheapest pigments are white, blue and light green; blue, orange, green and red will cost a little more.

The varnish must be selected in accordance with the surface to be treated. Otherwise, the finished paint layer will flake off.

So, the manufacture of phosphor paint at home is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. Pour the varnish into a container.
2. Pour phosphor powder there. The optimal ratio is 30% dye and 70% varnish.
3. Add a small amount of solvent to the solution (no more than 2% of the total).
4. Stir the composition.
5. If you need to get a mixture with one color or another, then you need to additionally add color to the container.

The paint made in this way is used and stored in the same way as ordinary varnish.

Before making a phosphor paint, it is recommended to calculate how much it will be required for processing. It is possible that it will be much cheaper and easier to purchase a ready-made mixture. In addition, the branded paint will be of much better quality than the “rough” paint, and the color of the emitted light can be selected immediately, without resorting to experiments. And having at your disposal several bottles of luminescent paint, you can easily create an original little thing, a unique interior or a very memorable tuning.

Peculiarities

Fluorescent paints also emit light in the daytime. However, in the dark, their light becomes 3 times brighter and richer. For this reason, this paint is often chosen for night decoration and various types of markings. To make surfaces covered with such paint look stylish during the day, you can use colored fluorescent products.

They can be white, blue, green, red, brown or light blue. Transparent paints will be almost invisible during the day. This dye will not glow on its own. When exposed to ultraviolet rays, its bright glow will increase tenfold.

If you don't know how a fluorescent paint differs from a luminescent analogue, it is worth taking a note: the latter has an independent illumination effect. The duration of this effect can last up to 10-12 hours. For the whole day, painted surfaces absorb light, and when darkness comes, they begin to glow autonomously.This difference allows you to accurately select the desired type of paint.

There is also a reflective dye. It acts as a backward reflection of the luminous flux: as soon as the light hits the painted surface, the rays are immediately reflected 200 - 250 m. This paint is selected to increase road safety.

Different types of fluorescent materials are suitable for coloring:

• metal products (they can cover car disks, signs on the road, various objects);
• different fabrics (to depict patterns on clothes, use for advertising purposes);
• glasses and ceramics (this can be tableware or stained glass painting);
• the human body (can be found in body art) and on the leaves of ordinary plants;
• wood (you can paint fences, decorate gazebos, openings of windows and doors);
• stone and concrete (painting of walls, garden paths, city alleys, building facades);
• plastic (products made of PVC, polystyrene and other plastic materials).

In addition to the ability to glow beautifully, fluorescent materials have other characteristic features. There are advantages and disadvantages among them. Let's consider the key points.

Low light fastness

Fluorescent paints can fade under the influence of light (if applied externally) in a matter of months. To make the dyes burn out more slowly, a modifier is introduced into the composition of the product, which absorbs UV rays. In addition, the coating with already applied paint can be painted over with transparent varnish. But the brightness of the glow of the paint will be reduced.

Loss of quality due to improper tinting

The fluorescent coloring product will become extremely unstable after unsuccessful tinting. To give the surface durability, it is better to buy ready-made material of the desired color right away.

Grain

Since the pigment grains are too large, they will not result in a fully glossy finish. To solve this problem, the dye is applied in 2 layers or painted over with varnish.

Fear of excessively high temperatures

Fluorescent paints and varnishes disintegrate at a temperature of +150 - 250 degrees C. They completely lose their ability to glow brightly.

It only takes 15 minutes of bright daylight or artificial light to charge the applied paint for 8 full hours of use. The light accumulation process is a completely continuous cycle. Product manufacturers guarantee that their glowing paints will last for at least 30 years.

Classification of paints

Self-luminous dyes can be classified according to various criteria, for example, by the type of substance, to which paint is applied:

• Metal - original patterns are created on the surface of the car, you can paint car rims that will glow, are used in interior decoration, for the external arrangement of the facade.
• Fabrics - used in the manufacture of manufactured goods, wardrobe items with a printed pattern.
• Glass - creating drawings on dishes, making glass for stained-glass windows, designer ceramic tiles.
• Water-based liquid formulations - fresh flowers are processed and bouquets with an original glow effect are obtained.
• Crafts from wood - creating decorative glowing products, you can create interesting compositions by painting various surfaces.
• Compositions made of concrete - original video effects are obtained on concrete, natural or artificial stones, it is possible to obtain a decorated facing brick, a border.
• Film - printing using the silk-screen method, you can get luminous stickers, which are widely used in advertising.
• Plastic - obtaining a wide range of products with a glow effect.

Let's figure out what fluorescent and luminescent paints are, what are the similarities and what are the differences.

What are the types of glowing paints?

Having decided to make a glowing coloring composition with your own hands, you need to find out what components it can contain and how it works. There are several types of paints that emit light in the dark: luminescent, fluorescent, phosphoric, reflective. They differ from each other in the principle of luminescence, which depends on the components that make up their composition.

Principle of luminescent paint glow

Luminescence is the glow of a substance without the release of heat as a result of the accumulation of light energy by it. Luminescent paints glow in the absence of any light sources due to the content of special components - phosphors. These luminous pigments accumulate light during daylight hours. At the same time, they are "charged" from sources of not only natural light, but also artificial. At dusk, these substances begin to glow. The brightness of the emitted light depends on their concentration in the composition of the coloring product.

Phosphor-based paint retains its ability to glow in the dark during its entire service life. These luminous pigments need only a couple of tens of minutes of "recharging" from a source of natural or artificial light, so that the surface painted with paint based on them emit light for about 8 hours.

This type of paints and varnishes (LKM) is absolutely harmless to health. Luminescent paints are colorless (translucent) and colored. They are suitable for coloring:

• metal, glass, ceramic surfaces (heat-resistant paintwork materials);
• fabrics (contain acrylic varnish);
• plants (water-based paintwork materials);
• wood;
• concrete;
• plastic (polyurethane-mineral enamels).

Why does the fluorescent composition glow?

This type of luminous paint can only glow in the dark when exposed to ultraviolet light. The colored coating absorbs incoming UV rays, converting them into visible radiation with longer wavelengths. Fluorescent paintwork glows only with active sources of ultraviolet radiation. When they are turned off, it is a normal, non-luminous colorant, which is why it is also called invisible or ultraviolet.

The ability of this ink to emit light is based on the principle of fluorescence (fluorescence). This term refers to the phenomenon in which a molecule absorbs light of a certain wavelength and emits light of a longer wavelength. This type of paintwork material glows due to its composition of special pigments of fluorophores that can fluoresce.

Typically these components are rhodamine, cyanine and aminonaphthalimide derivatives. These substances are very expensive, therefore, to reduce the cost of the production process of the coloring composition, they are used to paint the smallest polymer particles, which are then added to the base of the product.

Phosphorous (phosphorescent) coatings must be distinguished from fluorescent paintwork materials. Due to the phosphorus content, they are unsafe for human health, therefore they are rarely used. They are usually used for exterior work, such as painting a car.

To start emitting light, the phosphoric dye composition only needs to be charged from the sun. In addition to ultraviolet light, halogen and xenon light sources are suitable for charging it.

How does reflective paint work?

The group of reflective (or retroreflective) paints differs from the previous, luminous, types of paintwork materials, the principle of the glow of which depends on the ingredients included in the composition that can glow in the dark. With some stretch, they include fluorescent materials, but they are capable of reflecting only UV rays.

The ability to return light to paint acquires after the addition of tiny (150-500 microns) glass beads. Thanks to them, the surface painted with reflective paint reflects any light rays falling on it.

Glowing phosphor paint

Phosphor paint is safer because it does not emit enzymes harmful to the respiratory tract. In addition, it does not require exposure to ultraviolet radiation, which makes it easier to use. The phosphor itself contains a transparent varnish in the base, which makes it safe for health. The substance attracts and retains light, reflecting it at night. This allows you to create the glow of the picture. The glow persists for a long time. After two hours of collecting light energy, the pattern drawn by the luminescent dye reflects it for 24 hours.

How to make a phosphor with your own hands

You can independently create a luminescent paint that will spontaneously collect and reflect light in the dark. In terms of technical characteristics, it will be similar to the store version, it also retains the glow for a long time. There are several recipes that can be used to make a glowing solution:

• Recipe 1. For it you need to mix one glass of warm water and two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide. Add two teaspoons of vinegar and some salt to the liquid. Mix the solution thoroughly, it is better to do this quickly - you can close the container with a tight lid and shake it. The resulting glowing liquid can be painted over or applied to walls. If you use double the proportions of additional components (except water), you can increase the concentration and glow.
• Recipe 2. If you have a glowing marker, you can use it. To do this, carefully unscrew it, take out the rod and dissolve its dye in a little water. The resulting water can then be mixed with a common color pigment for finishing. Use as little water as possible to prevent deterioration of stability and performance after dilution.
• Recipe 3. Take two tablespoons of water and mix them with three grams of pine needles concentrate, dissolving it until smooth. Mix a pinch of boric acid with half of the resulting liquid and bring the mixture to a boil. After the solution has cooled completely, add the other half of the concentrated water and boil again. The resulting solution will play the role of a phosphor, which can be mixed with an ordinary dye and used as a luminous dye.

Before making the glow paint, it is recommended to protect your eyes and hands, as some components may be harmful

It is important to strictly observe safety precautions and proportions, so you will get the glowing liquid quickly enough. Regardless of the option used, the resulting phosphor must be mixed with a standard paint for interior or exterior decoration.

But keep in mind - you do not need to greatly dilute the dye with the resulting liquid, since its quality can be deteriorated, it will become too liquid and will look bad as a decor.

Fluorescent paint

Fluorescent paint consists of clear acrylic lacquer and powdered dye-pigment. It is also called invisible or ultraviolet, since it appears only under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. The fluorescent pigment is made on the basis of thermoplastic resins, therefore it is non-toxic and completely safe for humans. Suitable for painting any surfaces: glass, ceramic, wood, metal. It can be used on flowers and plants as well as on human skin. The composition is practically not absorbed into the skin and is often used in one of the areas of body art. Its only drawback is that it is not easily washed off.